Why Choose Illinois State

As a first-choice public institution, Illinois State is among the nation's leaders in graduation rates as well as loan repayment rates. Students who choose Illinois State attend a top-100 nationally ranked university in one of the nation's best college towns.

Total students: 20,807

Undergraduates: 18,427

Graduates: 2,380

55 percent of our students are women, 45 percent are men.

22.3 percent of Illinois State students are from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Many students from this diverse and growing population actively participate in campus organizations, including the Black Student Union and the Association of Latin American Students.

Where We Come From

Students come to Illinois State from across the country and around the world.

Here are some of the home countries of Illinois State University international students:

Our History: Then and Now

43 students enrolled at Illinois State for the first term in fall 1857. In fall 2014, more than 3,500 new beginning freshman enrolled at the University.

The first commencement ceremony was held in 1860 for a graduating class of 10. In 2013, the University awarded more than 5,000 degrees.

Enrollment grew from 4,469 in 1960 to 17,549 in 1970. Since the 1970s, the number of students has stayed about the same. In 2014, 20,271 students attended Illinois State, 18,155 of whom were undergraduates.

Faculty and Class Size

98 percent of Illinois State’s 1,247 faculty members hold the highest degrees in their fields.

92 percent of undergraduate credit hours are taught by faculty members; the balance are taught by graduate assistants.

At least 70 percent of all classes have 30 or fewer students; 85 percent have 39 or fewer; and 89 percent have 49 or fewer.

The student-faculty ratio is 19 to one.

Academic Colleges

There are 34 academic departments in six colleges that offer 67 undergraduate programs in more than 188 fields of study. The Graduate School coordinates 39 master’s, two specialist, and eight doctoral programs.